Sectionalizer switch having adjustable count to lockout



June 30, 1964 J. E. HARDER 3,139,495

SECTIONALIZER SWITCH HAVING ADJUSTABLE COUNT TO LOCKOUT Filed Sept. 19, 1961 as 31 E u I I '1 Y]: Fig 3 3? Fig.4.

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wnm-zsszs: INVENTOR QWM Q John E. Harder United States Patent 3,139,495 SECTIONALIZER SWITCH HAVING ADJUSTABLE C(BUNT T0 LOCKOUT John E. Harder, Bloomington, Ind, assignor to WestinghouseEleetric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 139,082 9 Claims. (Cl. 20097) This invention relates generally to switching apparatus, and it has reference in particular to line sectionalizers having therein apparatus for changing the total number of circuit interruption counts required to lockout the sectionalizer.

It is an object of this invention to provide in a line sectionalizer having an integrator for counting circuit interruptions in the line and biased to reset if the consecutive line interruptions are not closely following one another and which efr'ects lockout after a pre-determined number of closely consecutive counts, an electroresponsive means operable to selectively hold the counter means in a relatively advanced position from zero so that a lesser number of counts are required to advance the counter to the lockout operating position.

It is another object of this invention to provide in a line sectionalizer having a counter as described, an electrical impulse responsive means for changing the reset position of the counter from a first position to a second alternative position to change the total number of circuit interruption counts required to effect lockout operation of the counter.

These and other objects of this invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, when taken in connection with the attached drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view of a line sectionalizer showing the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a modification of the electroresponsive counter reset adjusting mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view, in elevation, of the pawl lever utilized in the sectionalizer, and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view, in plan, of the pawl lever shown in FIG. 3.

Generally stated, the present invention is embodied in a line sectionalizer and comprises an integrator or counting mechanism advanceable in step-by-step fashion in response to closely consecutive operations of a solenoid in the line circuit, which solenoid is responsive to each fault circuit interruption of a circuit breaker in series with the line sectionalizer. The integrator is continuously biased toward a zero count reset position so that clearance of the fault condition before the integrator has been advanced a predetermined number of steps to effect lockout of the sectionalizing contact will allow the integrator to automatically reset to the zero count position in preparation for counting a new fault condition in the line. In order to change the total number of circuit interruption counts required to effect lockout of the sectionalizer, there is provided an electromagnetic mechanism operable in response to an electrical impulse of one polarity or another to position a reset stop device either in a first position or a second position to maintain the integrator in different advanced positions to thus alter the total number of circuit interruption counts required to effect lockout operation of the sectionalizing apparatus. A mechanical timer is connected to the integrator through an overrunning clutch to restrain the movement of the integrator toward the reset position.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, there is shown a line sectionalizer generally indicated at and includice ing an integrator wheel 11 biased to reset, a timing mechanism 12 providing time delay reset operation of the in tegrator wheel, a trip mechanism 13 engageable by the integrator after a predetermined number of counts to effect opening operation of line contacts 14, a pawl mechanism 15 operable to advance the integrator wheel, a

solenoid 16 in the line and responsive to fault current and subsequent interruption thereof by operation of a reclosing circuit breaker to operate the pawl mechanism, and an integrator reset stop mechanism 17 operable to determine the limit of maximum reset of the integrator wheel.

The integrator wheel 11 is mounted for rotation with a fixed shaft 21 and includes on a portion of its periphery a plurality of spaced teeth members 22 by which the integrator wheel is advanced in response to operation of the pawl assembly 15, as hereinafter described. A lateral trip projection 23 is provided on wheel 11 adjacent the first tooth 22 for operatively engaging the trip bar assembly 13, as hereinafter described. The wheel 11 is constantly biased in a counterclockwise direction to the reset position shown in FIG. 1, by means of a torsion spring 24 encircling shaft 21 and having one end abutting a holding pin 25 fixed on the integrator wheel, and having the other end abutting a portion of the timing mechanism 12. A reset stop or limit pin 26 is provided on the wheel 11 for engaging with the reset stop assembly 17 as hereinafter described. On another portion of the integrator wheel periphery, there is provided a set of gear teeth 27 by which means the integrator wheel 11 is delayed in its reset motion in cooperation with the timing mechanism 12, as hereinafter described.

The operating solenoid 16 comprises a coil 23 and an armature 29 associated therewith and operable to be drawn upwardly within the coil in response to fault current conditions in the line circuit. The armature 29 is biased outwardly of the coil 28 by means of an integrating spring 39 connected between an extension 31 on the armature 29 and a fixed support 32, whereupon cessation of the fault current in response to operation of a reclosing circuit breaker, not shown, in series with the sectionalizer 10, permits spring 30 to withdraw the armature 29 from within the coil 28 to the position shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pawl assembly 15 comprises a pair of relatively rotatably mounted members 36, 37 biased in one direction by means of a torsion spring 38 disposed around the member 37 and engaging a laterally extending trip element 39 on the member 37.

r The pawl assembly 15 is mounted at its center for pivotal motion about a fixed pin 40 disposed adjacent the wheel 11. One end of the pawl assembly 15 is attached to the lower end of solenoid extension 31 by means of a pivot 41. A fixed stop member 42 is disposed adjacent the member 36 of pawl assembly 15 to define the lower limit of motion of the assembly 15 about pin 40, and also to define the lower limit of motion of armature 29.

In the operation of the apparatus as thus far described, it will be seen that when the current through the coil 28 reaches a sufficiently high magnitude, the force on the armature 29 exceeds the restraining force of the integrating spring 30, thereby pulling the armature into the solenoid into a position where pawl assembly 15 has cleared the integrating wheel 11 and is ready to pick up one of the teeth 22 on the integrating wheel in its return to its original position as shown. During this motion of the pawl lever assembly 15 in the clockwise direction, the pawl members 37, 39 rotate so that the catch member 39 rides over the surface of the integrating wheel 11. Upon cessation of current of sufiicient magnitude to hold the integrating spring 30 in the extended position, the integrating spring will rotate the pawl lever assembly 15 in the counterclockwise direction, whereupon the catch tion as shown in FIG. 1. the pawl assembly 15 is in the normal position, as shown 39 will be rotated by the torsion spring 38 and will pick up the first tooth 22 on the integrating wheel to rotate the wheel in a clockwise direction as the integrating spring 30 resets the pawl assembly to the normal posi- It is to be noted that when in FIG. 1, the catch 39 releases the tooth 22 to allow reset operation of the integrator wheel 11 in a manner to be hereinafter described.

The motion of the integrator wheel 11 in a counterclockwise or reset direction under the bias of spring 24, is slowed by the timing mechanism 12. An escapement mechanism or mechanical timer has been selected for use in the present invention because of its superior reliability and because of lack of temperature sensitivity. However, it will be understood that other time delay reset mechanisms of the conventional hydraulic or pneumatic dashpot type may also be used in substitution for the present mechanical timer.

The timing mechanism 12 comprises a pinion 46 having a tooth periphery 47 in engagement with the previously described gear teeth 27 on the integrator wheel 11, which pinion is mounted for rotation with a shaft 48 fixed in position with respect to the previously mentioned shaft 21.

A large gear 49 is also mounted on the shaft 48 but is free to rotate thereabout. A tooth wheel 50 is fixed to the shaft 48 for rotation with pinion 46. A unidirectional clutch 51 is attached to gear 49 at pivot 52, and is biased into engagement with the teeth of wheel 50 by means of I spring 53 compressed between the free end of clutch 51 and a stop member 54 on the gear 49. Thus, it is seen that advancement of the integrator Wheel 11 in the clockwise direction effects rotation of pinion 46 and tooth wheel 50 independently of gear 49 as the clutch 51 rides over the tooth wheel 50. Conversely, when the integrator wheel 11 is released by the pawl assembly 15 and begins to move counterclockwise in the reset direction under the urging of spring 24, the pinion 46 and wheel 50 rotate clockwise to be engaged by clutch 51, thus rotating gear 49 in a clockwise direction therewith. A second pinion 55'is mounted for rotation with a shaft 56 fixed in position with respect to shaft 48, with the periphery engaged with the gear 49. A wheel 57 having teeth 58 is also fixed on the shaft 56 with pinion 55 for rotation therewith. An escapement wheel 59 is fixed on a shaft 60 fixedly spaced with respect to shaft 56, and includes a pair of spaced members 61, 62 near the periphery thereof for alternately engaging and sliding off the of each advancement, the clockwise rotation of gear 50 under the urging of spring 24 engages clutch 51 as described, to thus effect rotation of gear 49 in a clockwise direction and to effect counterclockwise rotation of pinion 55 and toothed wheel 57. The action of the escape- -ment wheel 59 with respect to teeth 58 of wheel 57 retards rotation of the members, as described, to thus provide a slow resetting of integrator wheel 11 to a predetermined resetting speed such that the next succeeding tooth 22 of the integrator wheel 11 will be engaged by the pawl assembly 15 if the fault in the line should be still in existence when the circuit breaker recloses and reopens to effect an additional operation of the sole- .noid 16. If the fault should be cleared when the recloser operates, the integrator will gradually reset to a predetermined zero count position as shown, in FIG. 1.

The trip mechanism 13 is disposed adjacent the integrator 11 and comprises a trip bar 64 longitudinally movable and biased into the position shown in FIG. 1

' it is at that time in contact.

by means of spring assembly 65, to thus hold contact 14 in a closed position. A trip projection 66 is provided on bar 64 to be engaged by previously described trip member 23 on the integrator wheel 11 when the wheel 11 is advanced, in this instance, to the third count position.

A one-way flipper 67 is provided on the movable member of contacts 14 to provide for reclosing operation of the contact mechanism after the trip bar 64 is reset.

However, it will be understood that the contact mechanism as shown herein is merely illustrative of one mechanism which may be operated in response to operation of the trip bar 64. The trip bar 64 may be utilized to trip any conventional contact lockout mechanism. The contact mechanism may be reclosed manually or electrically.

As has been previously mentioned, the variation in the number of counts to lockout is obtained by varying the initial zero count position of the integrator wheel 11. This is achieved by way of the adjustable reset stop means 17 cooperating with the stop projection 26 on the integrator wheel 11.

The adjustable stop means 17 comprises a stop bar 68 movable from a first stop position to a second stop position by an impulse responsive electromagnetic operating mechanism 69.

The operating mechanism 69 comprises a pair of soft iron keepers 7 0, 71 fixed in spaced relationship and associated with a permanent magnet 72 disposed therebetween and adapted for movement across the space from one keeper to the other. The stop bar 68 is connected at one end to the magnet 72 in any suitable manner and is disposed for axial movement in response to movement of the magnet 72 across the space between keepers 70 and 71. When the permanent magnet 72 is abutting keeper v v 71, the bar 68 is in its lowermost position establishing the zero reset stop position for wheel 11. When the bar magnet 72 abuts keeper 70, the stop bar 68 is moved to the upper position establishing an optional reset position for wheel 11, holding the wheel in advanced position, thus facilitating a lockout operation of contact 14 on a lesser total number of operations of the integrator wheel 11.

In order to provide movement of bar magnet 72 from either one of the two described positions to the other, coils 73 .are wound about keepers 70 and 71 and are connected to a source ofdirect current 74 through a reversing switch 75 operable to open the circuit and to change the polarity of the source with respect to the coils 73. By operating the. switch 75, a circuit is provided through the coils 73 to form north poles at one end of each keeper and south poles at the other end thereof to thus repel or attract the magnet, depending upon the polarity of the keepers. By reversing the polarity, the permanent magnet 72 will be moved in the opposite direction. Upon cessation of current through the coils 73, the magnet 72 will be held against the keeper with which The current through the coils 73 may be provided by a six or twelve volt battery and may be limited by appropriate series resistance, not

shown, or by making the coils themselves out of an appropriate size of resistance wire.

Referring now to FIG. 2 there is disclosed a modification of the electromagnetic operating mechanism of FIG. 1. The operating mechanism comprises a single U-shaped soft iron keeper 76 having spaced end portions 77, 78.

A permanent magnet 79 is fixedly mounted upon a support member 80 pivotally mounted at one end 81 and having the other end attached to the lower end of adjustable stop member 68. The magnet 79 is mounted upon support 80 so that one pole of magnet 79 abuts one or the other of the ends 77, 78 of keeper 76 as the support member pivots up or down. A pair of coils 83which are disposed on the keeper 76 may be connected to a source of direct current through a switch for reversing the polarity in the circuit or alternatively for opening the circuit in the manner 5 previously described. It will be understood that the application of a direct current in the coils 83 will provide a north pole at one of the two ends 77, 78 and a south pole at the other to provide a force acting upon the one pole or bar magnet 79 to move the support member up or down, as desired. Upon cessation of current, the support 80 will remain in its point of last contact to hold the support 80 in the upper or lower position.

In the case of a hermetically sealed switching device, the direct current can be applied through a hermetic terminal for one terminal and the grounded tank for the other terminal.

In the present apparatus two counts to lockout are obtained by one polarity of application of the direct current voltage, while three counts to lockout are obtained for the other polarity of application of direct current voltage. It is to be understood that the amount of change in the number of counts to lockout may be varied as desired following the teachings of the foregoing description. The above/described integrator mechanism is developed primarily for use in a gas-filled sectionalizer. Its adaptation, however, to use in other media and for use in reclosers or circuit breakers'will be obvious to those familiar with the art.

Since numerous changes may be made in the abovedescribedconstructions and different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all the matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. A switching apparatus, comprising: separable contacts, trip means operable to effect separation of said contacts; means for counting consecutive occurrences of a predetermined circuit condition and including means advanceable a predetermined increment toward operable engagement with said trip means for each occurrence of said circuit condition; means for resetting said advanceable means after a counting operation; means engageable with said advanceable means to limit the number of increments the advanceable means may move toward reset from the fully advanced tripping position; electroresponsive means for selectively adjusting the limit means to any one of a plurality of positions, each position establishing a different total number of increments required to lockout the switching apparatus.

2. A switching apparatus, comprising: separable con tacts; trip means operable to effect separation of said contacts; means fOr counting consecutive occurrences of a predetermed circuit condition and including means advanceable a predetermined increment toward operable engagement with said trip means for each occurrence of said circuit condition; means for resetting said advanceable means after a counting operation; means engageable with said advanceable means to limit the number of increments the advanceable means may move toward reset from the fully advanced tripping position; electroresponsive means for selectively adjusting the limit means to any one of a plurality of positions, each position establishing a different total number of increments required to lockout the switching contacts; said electroresponsive means including a permanent magnet selectively movable from one of a plurality of positions to another to effect corresponding movement of said limit means from one limit position to another; and means including electromagnetic means disposed adjacent the permanent magnet to selectively eifect motion of said permanent magnet from one position to another.

3. A switching apparatus, comprising: separable contacts; trip means operable to effect separation of said contacts; means for counting consecutive occurrences of a predetermined circuit condition and including means advanceable a predetermined increment toward operable engagement with said trip means for each occurrence of said circuit condition; means for resetting said advanceable means after a counting operation; means engageable with said advanceable means to limit the number of increments the advanceable means may move toward reset from the fully advanced tripping position; electroresponsive means for selectively adjusting the limit means to any one of a plurality of positions, each position establishing a different total number of increments required to lockout the switching apparatus; said electroresponsive means comprising a permanent magnet movable from one position to another to effect movement of said limiting member from one position to the other; magnetizable means fixed in each of said positions for the permanent magnet; and circuit means associated with at least one of said magnetizable means for applying electromagnetic force to the magnetizable means to control the position of said permanent magnet.

4. A switching apparatus, comprising: separable contacts; means including trip means operable to effect separation of said contacts; means for counting consecutive occurrences of a predetermined circuit condition and including means advanceable a predetermined increment toward operable engagement with said tripping means for each occurrence of said circuit condition; means for resetting the advanceable means after a counting operation; means operable from one position to another to establish a different number of increments of advancement between the first count position and the fully advanced contact tripping position of the advanceable means; means including electrical impulse responsive means for selectively moving said increment establishing means from said one position to the said other position, depending upon the polarity of the impulse.

5. A switching apparatus, comprising: separable contacts; means including trip means operable to eifect separation of said contacts; means for counting consecutive occurrences of a predetermined circuit condition and including means advanceable a predetermined increment toward operable engagement with said tripping means for each occurrence of said circuit condition; means for resetting the advanceable means after a counting operation; means operable from one position to another to establish a different number of increments of advancement between the first count position and the fully advanced contact tripping position of the advanceable means; means including electromagnetic impulse responsive means for selectively moving said increment establishing means from said one position to the said other position, depending upon the polarity of the impulse.

6. A switching apparatus, comprising: separable contacts; means including trip means operable to effect separation of said contacts; means for counting consecutive occurrences of a predetermined circuit condition and including means advanceable a predetermined increment toward operable engagement with said tripping means for each occurrence of said circuit condition; means for resetting the advanceable means after a counting operation; means operable from one position to another to establish a different number of increments of advancement between the first count position and the fully advanced contact tripping position of the advanceable means; means including electrical impulse responsive means for selectively moving said increment establishing means from said one position to the said other position, depending upon the polarity of the impulse; pivotal means operable to move said increment establishing means from one position to the other; a permanent magnet on said pivotal means; electromagnetic means for applying magnetic force to said permanent magnet to move said pivotal means from one position to the other, depending upon the polarity of the electromagnetic means.

7. A sectionalizer comprising, separable contacts connected in a line circuit, trip means operable to effect separation of said contacts, a rotatable integrator wheel having means thereon for actuating said trip means, a pivoted 7 pawl lever means responsive to predetermined conditions in said line circuit for actuating the lever in one direction freely of the wheel, spring means for actuating the lever in the opposite direction to drive the integrator wheel step-by-step in a direction to actuate saidtrip means after a predetermined number of steps, reset means for driving the integrator Wheel in the opposite direction, mechanical timing means for restraining the rotation of the integrator wheel in said opposite direction, gear means for driving the timing means, and an overrunning clutch for connecting the integrator wheel to said gear means.

8. A sectionalizer comprising, separable contacts connected in a line circuit, trip means operable to effect separation of said contacts, a rotatable integrator wheel having means thereon for actuating said trip means, a pivoted pawl lever for driving the integrator wheel in a first di rection, means responsive to predetermined conditions in said line circuit for actuating the lever in one direction freely of the wheel, spring means for actuating the lever 9. Switching apparatus comprising, separable contacts connected in a line circuit, trip means operable to effect separation of the contacts, a rotatable integrator wheel having means thereon for actuating said trip means, a pivoted pawl lever carrying a pawl member for driving the integrator wheel step-by-step in a first direction to actuaate said trip means after a predetermined number of steps, means responsive to current in said line circuit for actuating the pawl lever in one direction freely of the wheel, spring means for actuating the pawl lever in the opposite direction to drive the wheel in said first direction, reset means for driving the integrator wheel in the opposite direction, timing means for restraining the rotation of the integrator wheel in said opposite direction, gear means for driving the timing means, and an overrunning clutch for connecting the integrator wheel to said gear means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,318,099 Mortensen et al Oct. 7, 1919 1,695,723 Townsend Dec. 18, 1928 2,125,157 Gamel July 26, 1938 2,387,373 Watkins Oct. 23, 1945 2,393,736 Bennett et a1. Jan. 29, 1946 2,633,514 McMurry et a1 Mar. 31, 1953 2,752,452 Rawlins et a1 June 26, 1956 

1. A SWITCHING APPARATUS, COMPRISING: SEPARABLE CONTACTS, TRIP MEANS OPERABLE TO EFFECT SEPARATION OF SAID CONTACTS, MEANS FOR COUNTING CONSECUTIVE OCCURENCES OF A PREDETERMINED CIRCUIT CONDITION AND INCLUDING MEANS ADVANCEABLE A PREDETERMINED INCREMENT TOWARD OPERABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TRIP MEANS FOR EACH OCCURRENCE OF SAID CIRCUIT CONDITION; MEANS FOR RESETTING SAID ADVANCEABLE MEANS AFTER A COUNTING OPERATION; MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID ADVANCEABLE MEANS TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF INCREMENTS THE ADVANCEABLE MEANS MAY MOVE TOWARD RESET FROM THE FULLY ADVANCED TRIPPING POSITION; ELECTRORESPON- 